If you’re reading this site, you’ve certainly read about “ugly American tourists.” They travel overseas and radiate the impression they own the country and people should be delighted by their very presence. That sentiment is becoming less prevalent. But still, we can all sit up and take notice and live and learn.
But what do foreigners traveling to the U.S. need to know? If it’s a maiden voyage, there’s a learning curve of dos and don’ts and changing rules and regulations.
First and most essential:
Check and make certain your passport conforms to the U.S. requirements and don’t count on the airline to disperse the most up-to-date information. It’s a changing playing field.
For example — People with Turkish passports may find themselves in Paris not being allowed to board a U.S.-bound flight. There are requirements regarding how long the passports must be valid after your scheduled return and whether or not it’s required to have a biometric chip.
Do you need a visa? Even if you’re told you can obtain one upon arrival, it tends to be less stressful if you show up at your destination ready-to-go. Who feels like standing in additional immigration lines if you’ve been traveling for hours? Be sure you’ve filled out all of the required forms and new online forms before deplaning.
Don’t flip when a customs officer insists you look into a camera so he can take your photo. Ditto for fingerprints. He’s doing his/her job and there are some times that everyone feels as if they’re potential terrorists. Foreigners shouldn’t take it personally. Americans may also be subjected to third degree grilling.
Mission accomplished:
Welcome to the US of A. Pick up your luggage. You’re almost there. Hope you aren’t pulled over for secondary screening and/or luggage inspection. The TSA has every right and the personnel are doing their job.
You may not feel that way after you’ve opened your suitcase, been forced to display your underwear and wished you’d packed more carefully or conversely, thrown everything into your baggage because ultimately, that’s the way it’s going to arrive at your destination.
Passengers clear customs at their first port of entry in the U.S. and if they’re continuing on, their clothes may arrive a wrinkled mess.
There are times when it feels like travelers are being profiled depending on where you originated and/or your nationality. I’ve seen a lot of scruffy backpackers having to unpack and (possibly) being checked for drugs. Some of their possessions look as if they should be dumped in the nearest trash bin because they’ve served their owners’ well. But, that’s another story.
My bags have been searched so many times that the last thing I’d do (anymore) is enter the U.S. with a wedge of French cheese.
On the ground:
If you’re renting a car, be on the safe side and get an international driver’s license before leaving your home country. The car rental agency may not even ask for it. But if it does, your trip can be ruined if you’re not prepared. Traveling by bus may not have been part of your planned itinerary.
Distances:
Many tourists forget how far it is from one place to another and don’t factor in enough time to get from here to there. If you’re driving (and please remember to drive on the right-hand side of the road), be sure you have a GPS to help you navigate. If you happen to be in Washington, D.C., don’t expect the directions to be 100% on target. The GPS instructions have been programmed to circumvent the White House and certain areas that may be considered sensitive.
In sickness and in health:
Buy travel insurance in case you get sick while you’re in the U.S. It’s cheap and if you have it, there’s a 99% chance you won’t need it. If you do get sick in the U.S., or are in a car accident without medical insurance, kiss your savings goodbye.
Language challenges:
If you don’t speak English, don’t count on Americans speaking your language. Bring all of your essential papers, instructions, phones numbers, etc., translated into English. Bring a phrase book. Purchase an electronic dictionary. You will probably get lucky if you speak Spanish but forget Polish, French or even German.
Cell phone:
Yes, it’s a good idea to have one because the chances of finding a phone booth are diminishing each year. There are plenty of cell phone options but if you’re in the U.S. for a short time, you probably only need one that can be used in the States with a phone card.
…To be continued.
What foreigners really need to know and people may (or may not) tell them. Each country has its etiquette, people have preconceptions about “strangers” and so it goes. Stay tuned.
Karen Fawcett is president of Bonjour Paris and is fascinated by cultural differences.
Karen Fawcett loves to travel anywhere. Karen was a founder & president BonjourParis.com while living in Paris for more than 25 years. She has traveled across Europe and the rest of the world. She is now based in Washington, DC.
Contrary to our reputation, most American actually have studied a foreign language. The challenge for the visitor, however, is twofold: (1) Americans don’t get much chance to practice other languages. While comprehension of Spanish is increasing as we become increasingly bilingual; other languages, as noted above, are not common on the street anywhere in the U.S. (2) We have an assumption not only that most people have studied English (which is largely true), but also that they have done well in those studies (which is not necessarily true).
Since I’m writing this comment in English, it won’t help our visitors much, so I’ll address myself to my fellow Americans: If you encounter a visitor who doesn’t speak English, give it a go as best you can. Your high-school French may be quite a bit better than their high-school English. And they’re the ones in an unfamiliar environment. No one will think you ridiculous if you can’t remember a word or if you mess up the grammar. And I can promise you, every single attempt is enormously appreciated by the visitor.
During my younger years, I waited tables at low and high end restaurants. All the waiters would argue over who had to wait on the foreigners. Why? They RARELY tipped! And we had to pay taxes on the “assumed” tip! So we were inevitably out of money. You cannot imagine the ill-will this caused. Particularly when we relied on tips for our income, unlike other countries that treat table-waiting as a profession.
Whenever I traveled to any of the 38 countries I have traveled to in the past, I always made sure I knew the tipping customs. I respect the profession and want to make sure that the person is well paid. You don’t have to speak another language to do that!
America still is way much friendlier than any other countries if you ask me. don’t speak the local language/English..etc. you are welcome to turn your back to where you came from or have all your documentation paper properly fill and see the sign language than – meaning you can step into what ever country you wish to visit.
Annoye – I don’t think so, based on your post. Telling people they’re welcome to go back to where they came from is exactly why many people find the USA rather hostile. We can argue that point till the cows come home – the USA is welcoming, the USA is hostile, yarda yarda. But your response is the whole reason there’s even a debate.
I would wager that there are more people *leaving* the USA who have border problems elsewhere than foreigners entering who make a mistake, merely because Americans tend to know their own country extremely thoroughly, at the expense of learning about the rest of the world. People don’t even think to ask if the rest of the world might do things differently. Conversely, Europeans in particular learn about the entire world without such an emphasis on themselves. It’s both good and bad, depending on where you come from and where you choose to take your holidays 🙂
Dawn, I loved your comment “unlike other countries that treat table-waiting as a profession”. It’s so true, and I must empathise with anyone forced to use tips as “income”. I’d encourage people to begin asking the managers of these places whether they value their staff enough to pay more than minimum wage – and vote with your feet accordingly. Nothing changes until that happens.
One of the funniest, and best, books I ever read was The Foreign Visitors Survival Guide to America.
as a citizen of a small country (i actually sometimes shop in a different country) it is second nature, for an american unless he lives near canada of mexico not. I have noticed some differences , funny thing is that the checks on arrival in the us are more thourough than on exit, also the treatment tends to get better the more down south you arrive, orlando and even atlanta are heaven compared to new york
As for al kind of differences, the most obvious is driving, european style is that traffic is stacked slowest on the right fastest on the left (except uk other way arround )
@dawn, it has nothing to do with profession or not, if any over here most are students (with little intrest, talent or devotion to the job) it is that service is included in the price, and an hourly wage is paid, tips are given for excellent service, i guess if you see staff trying to avoid you…..
The normal % is about 15% so if you add 15% in europe you would be paying more than 30%,.
I meet about 8 foreign visitors each week in the normal course of my life here in the Bay Area where they are extemely common and very well received. I do the language thing which is appreciated and if I’ve been to their country, I let them know. Discussing or praising someplace in their land makes them feel really good. They all love to talk about their country with someone who seems interested. One thing that has inveriably helped me abroad and which sure helps foreigners here, is to make a bee line to someone’s dog and pet it or even play with it. Suddenly, there’s a common affection, usually huge smiles and a feeling of familiarity. For a time, there is simply no difference between us.
My sister-in-law traveled on a brand new Italian passport with a valid visa from Istanbul to Los Angeles. Her husband and 2 children all had US nationality. Changing planes in Paris (Air France all the way) she was told her passport did not meet the latest regulations and she was refused access to the plane. It was Sunday; the whole family spent the night in a Paris hotel and went to see the American Embasssy on Monday, who declared both passport and visa in order
They had to buy new tickets to continue their journey<; NO APOLOGIES FROMAIR FRANCE;.